Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: simon knight on January 29, 2007, 04:35:25 pm
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3 months ago did the customers house for the 1st time. Really old leaded glass both sides of house (which I hate doing). Takes an hour to finish then it's "show me the money" time.
Customer: How much do I owe you?
Me: £18 please
Customer (looking shocked): Seems a lot.
....she gets out her purse and gives me 4 £20 notes :o
Me: How much do you think I said?
Customer: £80
Me (laughing): No eighteen...1....8...
She's delighted and gives me £20 and we arrange for bi-monthly cleans and part best of friends.
This morning.
Me: Hello Mrs Customer, sorry I'm a bit late but I'm in the area this afternoon is it ok for me to drop by and do your windows?
Customer: They look ok for the time being, can we leave it this time round?
GRRR >:( >:( Should have kept her £80.
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Drop her there are plenty of people who will have you clean their windows and pay you every time.I don't even tell them im cancelling until they call then i spout of about not being able to do them any more because i only do regular customers
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i have one thats expecting me to do her windows this month, i do 3 of her neightbours and all worth £17 each, she said in november leave it till february, this month i'm gonna tell her that my run is full with my reliable customers so i can't fit her in...see how she likes that ;) ;D
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Rest assured she is 110% dropped. Looking forwards to her phoning me when they're really dirty and she has the family coming for sunday lunch and wants them cleaned for the occassion.
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I am actually enjoying this at the moment, getting the odd not this time "not ever again for me" having a bit of a cull ready to go get better work from next month. You only get the odd annoying ones, but they really spoil your attitude towards the others in a way so get rid and have the last laugh
its a great job that can become a real headache because of a few crap custy's they do not see how easily they are replaced
simbo
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I was asked to do 4 new ones today, and after cleaning them 3 out of the 4 said they wanted it every other month. >:(
That's annoying too.
From now on I'll ask the frequency first. ::)
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I had one the other day, the guy comes out and says "can you leave them for a few months?" I said yes of course, then went home and crossed them out of the book,
if they dont want there windows cleaned at this time they dont really want them doing at all, bonus is the next day I picked up two new ones within walking distance.
for me its like walking into a bar ordering a pint then waiting until its served, then saying err! no thanks Im not that thirsty! and not paying, how many bars could you do that in and then expect to get served next time?
scrimit
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Scrimit that's an excellent way of putting it. One of my client's I recently dropped used to leave the gate open for me. This time it was 'oh my husband doesn't like to leave it unlocked anymore, I'm in and out all day, if I'm not here just do the fronts'. Yea ok and charge you my minimum £10 for it!
It bugs me when I do a first time clean on a really dirty house and we've arranged the usual 6-weekly clean, only for me to get the cheque in the post with 'please take me off your books', makes me want to reach for the eggs......
There must be so many stories on this!
Chris
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I was asked to do 4 new ones today, and after cleaning them 3 out of the 4 said they wanted it every other month. >:(
That's annoying too.
From now on I'll ask the frequency first. ::)
Squeaks,
I can't believe after ten years of window cleaning, that you're not clear on your terms and conditions before hand!
I reckon this is because you bought a 'ready made round' rather than built one up yourself from scratch.
You've got to be firm (but friendly) with your customers, particularly your new ones.
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I tell all new customers that they are agreeing to a minimum of three cleans or I reserve the right to charge them double. Those that want a regular service don't mind. Those that are thinking of trying to get me to do a one off clean suddenly think twice. It's not fool proof but does eliminate some.
Steve
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One business near me, advertised as South Wales's Biggest Window Cleaning Company makes their new customers pay double for the first clean; and they get their forth clean for 'free'.
A local guy to me always charges an initial cleaning charge on top of his normal monthly bill; just in case they bin him after his first clean.
I don't do any of this. I'm just clear on the fact that I call once per month, every month; or with other properties that I don't really care if I get or not (mostly large stand-alone properties), I'll give them a high price and give them the option of having me every month or every-other-month.
About 50% of them go for the every-other-month option, 30% say 'no thank you at all' and 20% say, 'every month will be fine'.
I still get time wasters mind, but not too often these days; and the few I get I don't mind.
You've just got to get on with it.
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got a letter through the door this morning basically saying that every month is too often, these are the months I would like you to call.
I know why too. When I did this property this month the neighbour ( an old chap) popped round and said could I do his too. Did the clean got the money and he said could we make it every 3 months.
A bit annoyed with myself for being caught out I agreed. Now I bet that this fine young lady has had a natter to this old so & so and thought 3 months is good for me too.
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I charge extra for a first clean. Depends on the state of the windows/frames. Usually 50% - 100% more.
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I had a cracker just before Christmas... ;D
I have 3 terraced in this little street each at £10 every 4 weeks.
The alleyways have locked gates on them so I said the usual:
"I cant guarantee what day I will come to clean but it will be approximately every 4 weeks. If you are out and I cannot access the rear, I will just clean the fronts for £5 and leave an addressed envelope to send me a cheque"
1 of them has always had the alarm bells ringing...bit of a moaner in the making...after doing the top of her house WFP and moving onto the tops of the other 2 houses, she would come out, stand in the road and stare at the top windows shaking her head...that type of thing.
Anyway, in November, she was out when I cleaned, so did the front and left the envelope with calling card requesting £5 be sent by way of cheque.
Come December, still no cheque and its time to do the road again.
With it being Christmas, I just get on with it and she is out again.
I always collect in person in December for the tips (they do come in handy after all)
I knock at this womans house and say:
"Thats £10 please, £5 for the fronts in November and £5 for today...."
"I didnt think you would have done them last month as it was raining" (it wasnt by the way!)
"well, you are paying for a regular service so I make sure your windows are cleaned every 4 weeks"
Handing me the money, she says:
can you leave them till March or April to get the bad weather out of the way as there is not much point cleaning them in Winter"
" no way...you will have to get another window cleaner...I have to pay my bills every month and I clean every month"
At this point I started walking away...and this part really tickled me given the fact that it was about the 22nd or so of December and I had a pocketful of tips from other customers...as I am heading back to the car, I just heard her bellowing voice shouting from her doorstep:
"AND A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU TOO..!"
I`m back there this week and as she lives pretty close to the River Mersey, all her windows will be filthy afer the recent storms.. ;D
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Great stories guys!
Think we get spoilt with majority of the general public who are good as gold.
Then we get complacent and assume that regular cleans won't be a problem
and then some joker trots out the same old things about, there are builders over the road or
they don't look dirty or leave it this month etc etc!
I give them one chance at these excuses then drop them!
If and when they get back to me i politely tell them i may be able to re-schedule
but only on a regular basis. But some i just tell them to try some other cleaner.
It's never black and white but some people your just glad to be rid of!
Steve ;)
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Great stories guys!
Think we get spoilt with majority of the general public who are good as gold.
Then we get complacent and assume that regular cleans won't be a problem
and then some joker trots out the same old things about, there are builders over the road or
they don't look dirty or leave it this month etc etc!
I give them one chance at these excuses then drop them!
If and when they get back to me i politely tell them i may be able to re-schedule
but only on a regular basis. But some i just tell them to try some other cleaner.
It's never black and white but some people your just glad to be rid of!
Steve ;)
That's right. It's not always black and white. You get to work out when someone is taking the pee. One customer was doing a DIY extension to their house. We agreed that he would phone me when he had finished it. Took him 6 months. I charged a lot more for the first clean due to the mess - then we were back to normal afterwards. He never messed me around before or since. He had a good reason for suspending the service. I have no problem with situations like that.
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Some custy's are brilliant! Check this one out. (Shortened down version if you think I'm being short with her! ;D)
(I'm putting all my new stuff to two-monthly by the way.)
End of Nov. she collars me and says gimme a quote etc.
Go down to large detached with conservatory which is all upvc but minging.
Me:- "£50 first clean then £25 every two months and I can't do it till day after tomorrow."
Her:- "Fine, let me pay you now!"
So I take money (cash) call back two days later and do the job.
Two months later (Day before yesterday) I call, no one home and although I'm a bit nervous about it, it feels right and I do it and leave bill saying please send £25.00 and I'll call again end of March..
Today cheque arrives for £50.00! Note says thanks v. much, here's the dosh for this and next clean!
I love some customers cuz they're lovely!
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Some custy's are brilliant! Check this one out. (Shortened down version if you think I'm being short with her! ;D)
(I'm putting all my new stuff to two-monthly by the way.)
End of Nov. she collars me and says gimme a quote etc.
Go down to large detached with conservatory which is all upvc but minging.
Me:- "£50 first clean then £25 every two months and I can't do it till day after tomorrow."
Her:- "Fine, let me pay you now!"
So I take money (cash) call back two days later and do the job.
Two months later (Day before yesterday) I call, no one home and although I'm a bit nervous about it, it feels right and I do it and leave bill saying please send £25.00 and I'll call again end of March..
Today cheque arrives for £50.00! Note says thanks v. much, here's the dosh for this and next clean!
I love some customers cuz they're lovely!
Some of them are just ace aren't they? One guy was going to the USA for six months. He paid me up front for 6 cleans (I did monthly back then). When he got back and tried to pay me for the next clean I explained to him that I had got a bit behind while he was away and he had already paid me for the clean I was doing. He paid me anyway and said to regard the extra money as an Xmas box as he had been away at the time.
What a guy !!
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But, Shiner don't you see - he may have also been subconsciously responding to your honesty!
You reap what you sow! ;)
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I have a customer who works in the middle east for 3 months at a time, he always pays in advance, and gives me an extra tenner every time.
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not totally related but like everyone else getting the odd "not this time mate" which for me means not ever again. It does get you down a bit but then i find that the customers i pick up this time of year stay with you and are usually the best, anyway, today doing a dorma type house that i have done twice now and all of a sudden a lady comes around the corner and starts the Oh i have been looking for a window cleaner and i am thinking great. Two minutes later there is around 5 people all coming out of houses and walking over, it was like "night of the living dead", really funny! anyhow ended up with 5 out of 6 all dorma and cons aswell £15 a pop and all because they thought wfp was superb giving such clean frames etc and i would of only got 2 if on 4 week rota and not 6 so that has been a v good decision for me
all the best simbo, it made my month
ps and 3 complete upvc cleans££££££
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Cleaning a customers house today and a car pulls up & out gets a lady.
"would you mind having a look at my house for me? I have a window cleaner at the moment but if you can beat his price of £7.50 you have the job"
P.S. I NEVER steal work off another cleaner
Anyway I said I would pop up and have a look.
£7.50 was a bit on the cheap side. She was out when I called so I put my card through the door with my price of £15 on the back ;D ;D ;D
She phoned my up about half an hour ago ranting and raving that I'm a cowboy and would tell all her friends and neighbours.. I let her ramble on and on then when she stopped I replied, "That's just my call out charge ;D ;D ;D It will be an extra £15 on top of that to clean the windows;D ;D bbbeeeepppppp. Think she hung up ;D
I could tell by her manner when she approached my she was a horrible person! Thats my amusement for the day ;)
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Splendid effort.
Another pleb taken care of. ;D
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Splendid effort.
Another pleb taken care of. ;D
Thanks squeak ;)
I was just in one of that moods today where you don't care what you do or say. ;D
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spot on...brilliant! ;D
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who are these arses!!!oh yeah they think they are the worlds
best customer humm ;D ;D
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Great reading guys, I was begining to think i am a muppet magnet.
I have been toying with the idea of charging 50% more for 1st clean as mentioned, so i don't feel like i fallen for the 3 card trick! when they change frequency of cleans.
I have dropped a few recently due to not today or not in winter.
I don't tell them your not going to change their mind.
If your not careful before you know it you'l end up with a round full of messer's.
I am tempted when i see the messers to say not today thankyou! or i'm too busy or I'm not a tortoise mate i don't hibernate at winter. ;D But i suffer from being to polite
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First thing i tell new possible customers is I ONLY TAKE ON REGULAR CUSTOMERS! (4Weekly, few 8 weekly). I dont do one offs! I then give them the price. Get that out in the open straight away. Ive had 2 not this month please already this year. only had one in the whole of last year! At this point i usually give them one black mark. 2 hits and youre off my books. :o
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cleaning a house today for a property developer in a posh area an old guy passed my van and knocked my wing mirror on return he knocked my wing mirror again and banged my back door shut muttering he was going to report me to the police ,rather unpolitly I told him to rev up and take off,to which he read out my no plate
until he came to the last three letters which read CON.
Miffed he carried on moaning and Ireplied Im working to give him a pension and when I REACH PENSION AGE HE WOULD HAVE SPENT MY HARD EARNT CASH ON HIMSELF and their would be none left for me so leave me alone.
Moaning he carryied on walking,to which I ADDED without thinking anddont come out with the in my day thing and your a world war hero in your messersmit [spelling] to which the ownner came out laughing He had been waiting to see someone put that old guy in his place [local busy body] moaner. and gave me a fiver more. ;D
gaza
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I really don't understand why some of you guys get so annoyed when a customers says not this time or can you leave it till March or whatever.
Its annoying if they wait until you are on the doorstep but I have had several this month who are obviously a bit skint. Thats OK I can relate to that.
Another one doesn't want to bother till mid March and thats OK as well. I have just redated her next appointment on George and its done.
To be honest I am still a bit behind and I welcome a bit of breathing space. But don't go throwing all your toys out of the pram and dropping the customer.
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Its annoying if they wait until you are on the doorstep
All our residentials get a card which lets them know the date when we'll be back. One woman had booked in a painter to do her windows for the exact day we were due - now that's just plain inconsiderate!
but I have had several this month who are obviously a bit skint. Thats OK I can relate to that.
You have your work planned, and I'm sure you have your finances in order too - if you know you have expenses to meet, you cut your cloth accordingly. What does she say to the mortgage company/landlord if she's going on holiday? I'm away for a fortnight, I'll only pay two weeks this month?
I really don't understand why some of you guys get so annoyed when a customers says not this time or can you leave it till March or whatever.
What would you do if ALL your customers said miss me for the next two/three months? ;)
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One woman had booked in a painter to do her windows for the exact day we were due - now that's just plain inconsiderate!
I had that.
I use WFP and she couldn't see why I couldn't / wouldn't clean whilst her decorator was painting the frames !!! ::)
It rained about half an hour after I left. ;D
Steve
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I really don't understand why some of you guys get so annoyed when a customers says not this time or can you leave it till March or whatever.
Its annoying if they wait until you are on the doorstep but I have had several this month who are obviously a bit skint. Thats OK I can relate to that.
Another one doesn't want to bother till mid March and thats OK as well. I have just redated her next appointment on George and its done.
To be honest I am still a bit behind and I welcome a bit of breathing space. But don't go throwing all your toys out of the pram and dropping the customer.
I agree that it's the waiting till your on the doorstep bit that wrankles more than the actual postponement. I've had times when I've had the hosereel out and the pole up to the window about to start before I'm told "Not today". I think that is very inconsiderate. I also think that it is pretty disrespectful too. All my customers have several ways of contacting me in advance if they wish to defer the clean until another time. OK so sometimes there are circumstances (such as bereavement) when it would be unreasonable to expect advance notice but, major stuff apart, it is unnecessary to wait until I get there before stopping me.
My cancelling a job over such issues is not a "toys out of the pram" job for me (usually). It is a considered business decision. Someone who does it once is more likely to do it again. I can't afford to have customers who want to send me away sometimes - even if it's only a couple of times a year. It's easier to pay my mortgage with customers who never send me away.
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I really don't understand why some of you guys get so annoyed when a customers says not this time or can you leave it till March or whatever.
Its annoying if they wait until you are on the doorstep but I have had several this month who are obviously a bit skint. Thats OK I can relate to that.
Another one doesn't want to bother till mid March and thats OK as well. I have just redated her next appointment on George and its done.
To be honest I am still a bit behind and I welcome a bit of breathing space. But don't go throwing all your toys out of the pram and dropping the customer.
Absolutely spot on Vince.
Bunch of big babies around here.
So a couple of seconds or minutes lost while you get a "no", big wow. ::)
"What if they all said it?"
Well they're not all going to say it are they? ::)
I always get a few here and there saying no.
If they do it twice in a row I won't go back, but now and again? Get over yourselves, they're the boss, they pay your wages.
If you're that inconvenienced by it, then obviously business isn't that good the rest of the time... ;)
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Its just a matter of working the customers out that take the p*** it doesnt take you long then i get shut
But if its not today thankyou one off then its no big deal lifes too short
Brett